Thomas mcoabe



(No Model.)

T. MGGABE.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 254,354. Y Patented Feb. 28.1882.

www i K A WITNESSES: v 11 INVBNTOR:

L/ v v My I BY v ATTGRNBYS.

N. PETERS, Pnululwgmpher, wamingx c.

UNITED STATES THOR/IAS MCUABE, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

PATENT OFFICE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICTION forming part of Letters Patent No. 254,354, dated February 28, 1882.

Application filed December 31, 1881.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MCGABE, of St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Oouplin gs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexeddrawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to automatic car-cou plings; and it consists of the device hereinafter described and claimed.

'In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved car-coupling, partly in section; and Fig. 2, a plan view of the same. l

The draw-head A is constructed with a central vertical slot, in which is pivoted a weighted catch, B. The catch is so pivoted that it Will tend to fall forward by force of gravity, and to limit its forward movement the upper end of the catch is provided with lugs b on each side, which are adapted to be supported in suitable recesses formed in the sides ot' the slot.

Instead of a link for coupling two cars together, I employ a hook, O, having its ends beveled on four sides, whereby it shall be easily guided into the mouth of the draw-head. This hook is used with the curve-d portions downward, so that as the end enters the month of the draw-head the hook will fall over a cross- .bar, a, and engage therewith, while the weight of the catch B rests upon the upper side ofthe hook and prevents the latter from accidentally becoming disengaged from the said crossbar. Y

The lower end of the catch B is formed with a recess to receive the cross-bar a when the catch is lifted, so that the said lower end of the catch shall be brought into contact with the hook C to lift it out of engagement with the cross-bar a.

For operating the catch a lever, D, is secured to a convenient part of the car and connected to a crank-shaft, d, supported in snitable bearings and adapted to be oscillated against the lower end of the catch.

(No model.)

By means of notches in the guide d the lever may be locked out of contact with the catch or the catch may be held in a raised position.

. In case it should be desirable to secure the catch to preventits being raised, apin, e, passA ing through one side of the draw-head, is adapted to be inserted into a recess in the catch and secured in said position by means ot' al pin, c', inserted into the upper surface of the draw-head and adapted to engage with a perforation in the pin e.

To adapt my car-coupling to use in connection with the ordinary link and pin, I provide a vertical perforation, f, through the upper part of the catch B and the lower part of the draw-head, throughl which a pin may be in,- serted to hold the link.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to construct a draw-head with a cross-bar and a weighted catch or lever for holding a hook like the one above described. I therefore do not claim the cross-bar c and the hook C; but

below the draw-head, so that it can be operated by a lever and crankshaft, as above described, whereas such a catch has heretofore been operated by a' rubber cushion placed abov'e it.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the draw-head A and hook C, of the catch B, projecting below the draw-head, the crank-shaft d, adapted to operate the catch, and the lever D, and means for locking the lever in any desired position, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the draw-head A and weighted catch B, of the pins e and c', for holding the said catch in position to prevent the accidentaldisengagement of the link, substantially as shown and described.

THOMAS MCGABE.

Witnesses:

J noon BIELHEN, JOHN MoGoRMIoK. 

